Linear compressed air metering device



Jan. 8, 1963 R. B. STOPP LINEAR COMPRESSED AIR METERING DEVICE Filed May23, 1958 INVENTOR. ROBERT D. STOPP btates Patent Ofilice 3,072,289Patented Jan. 8, 1963 3,t)72,289 LENEAR CMPRESED AIR METERWG DEVICERobert 3. Storm, 126 Piitt Ava, Farmingdale, N.Y. Filed May 23, 1958,Ser. No. 737,457 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-33) (Granted under Title 35, US.lode (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States ofAmerica for governmental purposes without the payment of any royaltiesthereon or therefor.

This invention relates to a metering valve and particularly to a devicewhich is capable of receiving and storing a predetermined amount offluid, such as air, and then releasing such metered fluid to a source ofwork.

The invention to be described below concerns a valve construction whichis capable of general use and is particularly adapted for use with the155 mm. subcaliber howitzer training device. In the use of trainingsubstitutes for actual operational equipment, subcaliber howitzers havebeen devised and are utilized to teach military personnel the manningand operation of howitzer guns without necessitating the use of actualoperational equipment. In the operation of the training gun, asubcaliber howitzer missile is utilized and is ejected from the firingchamber by pneumatic means. The shell, which is not expendable but isretrieved, is ejected for a specified distance of trajectory. Thus,there is a close simulation of operational equipment wherein the rangeis controlled and estimated by the military personnel. Previoussubcaliber howitzer equipment used compressed air operated by a handvalve or with a cam and hammer action. In this type of construction, thecompressed air travelling through the subcaliber gun could not beaccurately controlled and as a result, the range was not predictable. Inorder to overcome these deficiencies of the prior art, the metered valveconstruction of the instant invention has been devised.

The primary object of the invention is to control accurately the amountof fluid admitted to a valve and to be later discharged to a source ofwork.

Another important object is to store a desired quantity of fluid withina valve chamber until it is desired to utilize such stored fluid.

Still another object is to simultaneously release compressed air from astorage chamber and at the same time prevent an additional and undesiredsupply of air from entering that storage chamber.

It is a further object to supply a metered amount of air both inpressure and volume directly against a metal training missile in aweapon barrel, to eject the missile through the air a predetermineddistance.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

The sole FIGURE of the invention discloses the valve chamber in verticalcross-section with the operational elements in related detail.

Referring to the figure of the invention, the metering valve comprises atwo-sectional casing and 12. Casing 10, which contains the meteringchamber 13, is provided with an axially bored area and is secured to thedischarge portion of the casing 12 by means of the threaded flange 14depending therefrom, the flange 14 threading into the annular flangemember 16 extending from the casing 12. An annular rubber gasket 18, ofconventional construction, is seated within the annular groove 2% in thecasing it and presses firmly against the upper surface 22 of the casing12, whereby fluid from metering chamber 13 cannot escape.

The casing 10 is provided with an integral and vertically extending neckmember 24, containing the inlet port 26. The neck 24 is open to theatmosphere by means of an annular bore 27, which is in turn aligned witha counter bore 28 which extends through the axial length of the neckportion 24 and terminates in the metering chamber 13. Thus, when fluidunder pressure, such as air or water, enters through the port 26, thereis a clear path through the longitudinal passage 28 to the meteringchamber 13 or to the external portion of the valve via 27. However, theescape of fluid through the passage 27 is prevented, as will presentlyappear. The casing member 12 is also provided with a depending neckmember 30 and contains the stem guide chamber or passageway 32 in axialalignment with the passageway 28.

p The outlet port 34 extends through the neck portion 30 and connectsthe stern barrel (not shown).

The passages 28 and 32 are provided with beveled Wall sections 36'whereby valve seats are provided. A valve stem 38 extends through thestern guide chamber 32, the metering chamber 13, the vertical passageway28 and beyond the length of the neck member 24. The stem 38 carries thevalves 40, '42, and 44 positioned along the vertical length thereof.Each valve comprises spaced discs with an annular sealing gasket 45therebetween. The valve 40 is positioned on the stem 38 at a pointsubstantially adjacent the outlet end of the bore 27 to prevent escapeof fluid through the bore 27, as mentioned above. It should be notedthat the walls of the bore 27 and the bore 28 join to provide a stopshoulder 46 against which the upper disc of the valve 49 abuts when theinlet port 26 is in sealed relation with the metering chamber 13. Thesecond valve 42 is positioned on the stem 38 adjacent the inlet end ofthe metering chamber 13 and in the figure as illustrated, seals off themetering chamber from the inlet port 26. The third valve 44 ispositioned on the stem 38 adjacent the outlet portion of the meteringchamber 13 and in the illustration permits passage of the fluidcontained therein through the outlet port 34. A valve stem guide 48which may be in the form of a spider, having pressure relief openings50, is secured to the lower end of the valve stem 38 and is movablewithin the guide stem chamber 32.

Operation of the metering valve is controlled by means of a latchingassembly 52 having a catch member 54 secured to the upper extremity ofthe stem 38 by means of the cross-pin 56 and a trigger member 58pivotally se cured at 60 to the cylindrical collar 62 by means ofextension member 64. A spring member 66, extending through member 64,engages the lower free extremity of the trigger 58 and urges thetransverse finger 70 through a suitable opening 72 in the collar 62 intothe space formed therein. The catch member 54 is beveled at 74 incomplementary relation to the bevel 76 on the extremity of the triggerfinger 70. Thus, when the knob mem ber 78, secured at 80 to theextremity of the valve stem 38 is actuated downward, the movement of thestem 38 causes the catch 54 to travel past the trigger member 58 andcauses said trigger to pivot outwardly against the force of the spring66 to return to the initial position when the finger 70 anchors itselfon the upper surface of the catch member 54. A coiled spring 82 extendsaround the stem 38 and is seated on the upper surface 85 of the neckmember 24 and is adjustably retained on the stem 38 by means of thecollar 84. The set screw 86 extends through the collar 84 and engagesthe stem 38 at any desired position to pretension the coil compressionspring 82. The collar 62 is fastened to the guide chamber with a gun 3valve member at 88 in any desired manner. It should be noted that thecatch member 54 is not retained in airtight engagement with the collar62 so that while the catch 54. doubles as a seal for the collar -62,thereby preventing the entry of foreign matter, air release means isalso provided to prevent the building up of air pressure therein.

The operation of the device is readily understood. The valve stemassembly does all of its work in the one direction which is obtained bythe downward push upon the knob member 78. The knob member 78 is urgeddownwardly against the pressure of the spring 82 to move the stern 38.from the position shown into the latched positionwhereby the catchmember 54 has been moved past the finger member 70 of the trigger 58.This maintains the valve stem in the lowered position, thereby movingthe valve 42away from the valve seat 36 and into the metering chamber1.3.- Air, or other fluid under pressure then enters through the inletport 26 and through the passageway 23 into the metering chamber 13, totill the chamber. When the valve stem38 is in this position, the valve44 has been moved downwardly to seat against the lower valve seat 36 ofthe casing 12, thereby preventing escape of the air in the meteringchamber 13 through the outlet port. Air is thus retained in the meteringchamber of the valve until the subcaliber howitzer trainer is ready tobe fixed. .The air in the chamber 13 is discharged by a downward oroutward pull, depending on the position of the valve of a lanyard (notshown) fastened to the trigger 58 which then releases the catch andpermits the stem 38 to return to the original position illustrated inthe figure. At this point, the valve 42v again seats against the valveseat 36 and prevents air under pressure from entering the meteringchamber 13. .At the same time, the valve 44 has moved upwardly from itsseat on the valve seat 36 allowing the air contained in the meteringchamber 13 to escape through the outlet port 34 and into the gunbarrelto forcibly eject the subcaliber missile from the gunbarrel into theatmosphere, in a close simulation of the flight of an operationalmissile.

The range of the subcaliber missile is thereby readily controlled, byadjusting the pressure of the air or fluids supplied. This adjusted airunder pressure is always metered out in identical and exact amounts bymeans of the metering chamber 13, to obtain a consistency in operation,heretofore never before achieved. In this manner a superior type oftraining equipment is now in operation.

The valve body may be constructed of any sturdy material and ispreferably of aluminum material. However, other metals or durableplastics may be readily substituted without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What I claim is:

1. A linear compressed air metering device comprising a casing open atone end, a longitudinal passage in said casing connecting to said openend, a compressed air inlet port in said casing, a compressed air outletport in said casing, said ports connecting the longitudinal passage tothe atmosphere, an air chamber in said casing intermediate the length ofsaid passage, said chamber having inlet and outlet means, a stem mern erextending through the openend of the'casing and along the longitudinallength of said passage and air chamber, a compression spring fixed onthe upper end of said stem and basing said stem towards the open end ofthe casing, adjustment means on said stem for regulating saidcompression spring, a first valve on said stem normally adjacent saidcompressed air inlet port and sealing the open end of the casing, asecond valve normally seated in said air chamber inlet means and sealingthe chamber from receiving air under pressure and a third valve memberon said stern normally adjacent said air chamber outlet means and spacedfrom said air chamber outlet means, whereby downward movement'of saidstem unseats the second valve to admit air under pressure into saidchamber and seats the third valve to trap a metered amount of air insaid chamber and upward movement of said stern releasing the air fromsaid chamber through the air chamber outlet means while sealing the airinlet means.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said air metering device includesa trigger assembly, said trigger assembly including a catch mounted onsaid stem, a trigger member secured on said casing, said trigger memberincluding means for selectively latching said catch to hold said valvestem in a latched position until released by activation ofsaid triggermember.

References (lited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS206,151 Tavener July 16, 1878 938,326 Meiner-t Get. 26, 1909 1,153,376Foster et al .a Sept. 14, 1915 1,538,214 Rath May 19, 1925 1,723,909Alvey Aug. 6, 1929 2,577,687 Lee Dec. 4, 1951 2,581,758 Galliano et al.Jan. 8, 1952 2,659,518 Donnelly Nov. 17, 1953 2,707,069 Browning et alApr. 26, 1955 2,713,859 Bradfield July 26, 1955 2,747,775 Pritchard May29, 1956 2,759,638 Howard Aug. 21, 1956 2,780,213 Colling et al. Feb. 5,1957 2,801,032 Hall July 30, 1957 2,809,624 Becher et al Oct. 15, 1957

1. A LINEAR COMPRESSED AIR METERING DEVICE COMPRISING A CASING OPEN ATONE END, A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE IN SAID CASING CONNECTING TO SAID OPENEND, A COMPRESSED AIR INLET PORT IN SAID CASING, A COMPRESSED AIR OUTLETPORT IN SAID CASING, SAID PORTS CONNECTING THE LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE TOTHE ATMOSPHERE, AN AIR CHAMBER IN SAID CASING INTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH OFSAID PASSAGE, SAID CHAMBER HAVING INLET AND OUTLET MEANS, A STEM MEMBEREXTENDING THROUGH THE OPEN END OF THE CASING AND ALONG THE LONGITUDINALLENGTH OF SAID PASSAGE AND AIR CHAMBER, A COMPRESSION SPRING FIXED ONTHE UPPER END OF SAID STEM AND BASING SAID STEM TOWARDS THE OPEN END OFTHE CASING, ADJUSTMENT MEANS ON SAID STEM FOR REGULATING SAIDCOMPRESSION SPRING, A FIRST VALVE ON SAID STEM NORMALLY ADJACENT SAIDCOMPRESSED AIR INLET PORT AND SEALING THE OPEN END OF THE CASING, ASECOND VALVE NORMALLY SEATED IN SAID AIR CHAMBER INLET MEANS AND SEALINGTHE CHAMBER FROM RECEIVING AIR UNDER PRESSURE AND A THIRD VALVE MEMBERON SAID STEM NORMALLY ADJACENT SAID AIR CHAMBER OUTLET MEANS AND SPACEDFROM SAID AIR CHAMBER OUTLET MEANS, WHEREBY DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAIDSTEM UNSEATS THE SECOND VALVE TO ADMIT AIR UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAIDCHAMBER AND SEATS THE THIRD VALVE TO TRAP A METERED AMOUNT OF AIR INSAID CHAMBER AND UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID STEM RELEASING THE AIR FROMSAID CHAMBER THROUGH THE AIR CHAMBER OUTLET MEANS WHILE SEALING THE AIRINLET MEANS.